Sunday, 20 February 2011

WARRIOR MINIATURES AND THE battle of turnhan green

The Battle of Turnham Green occurred 13 November 1642 near the village of Turnham Green, at the end the first campaigning season of the First English Civil War. On the battlefield, the engagement resulted in a standoff between the forces of King Charles I and the much larger Parliamentarian army under the command of the Earl of Essex. WARRIORHowever, in successfully blocking the Royalist army's way to London, the Parliamentarians gained an important strategic victory because the standoff forced Charles and his army to retreat to Oxford for secure winter quarters.

After the Battle of Edgehill (23 October) King Charles captured Banbury (27 October) and was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Oxford on 29 October.Charles' nephew and cavalry commander, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, swept down the Thames Valley, capturing Abingdon, Aylesbury and Maidenhead, from where he attempted to capture Windsor, although he failed in that attempt because of Parliamentary strength there.After this, many officers wanted to open peace negotiations, contrary to Rupert’s desire to carry on to London, but the king agreed with the officers and so the Earl of Essex managed to overtake them and reach London with his Parliamentary army by 8 November.

On the 12 November Rupert with a large cavalry detachment stormed Brentford and then proceeded to sack the town. This action encouraged those Londoners who feared for their property to side with the Parliamentarians.On 13 November Essex's army, with the London trainbands and other London citizenry, assembled as an army of about 24,000 on Chelsea Field. They advanced to Turnham Green in the vicinity of the main body of the Royalist army.

Battle

The Royalist army of 7,000-12,000 was short of ammunition and probably too small to attack the 24,000 strong Parliamentarian army. Also the King was advised that to engage such an oddly assorted army containing what was obviously a large contingent of armed civilians (namely the Trained Bands under Philip Skippon), would not endear him to London, and it was too early in the war for the Royalists to contemplate taking London without the support of a sizable part of London's population.

With the end of campaigning season close at hand, Charles decided not to press the issue and withdrew. So after a slight cannonade, the Parliamentarians secured a victory without engaging in the battle, which was fortunate for them, as many of their number had never seen a battle before and were not used to army discipline formations and deployments. John Hampden, with something of the fire and energy of his cousin, Oliver Cromwell, urged the Earl of Essex to turn both flanks of the Royal army via Acton and Kingston; experienced professional soldiers, however, urged Essex not to trust the London men to hold their ground, while the rest manoeuvred. Hampden's advice was undoubtedly premature. A Battle of Worcester (1651) was not within the power of the Parliamentarians of 1642. In Napoleon's words: "one only manoeuvres around a fixed point" and the city levies at that time were certainly not, vis-à-vis Rupert's cavalry, a fixed point.

Charles (once more contrary to Rupert's advice) retreated back up the Thames Valley towards Oxford (losing the possible chance for a flanking movement through loyal Kent), where Charles set up his headquarters for the rest of the war. Never again during the Civil War would the Royalists come as close to capturing London and without London they could not win the war.
ADVERTISEMENT WARRIOR MINIATURES

20mm English Civil Army only £7.50 + £1.50 postage

50 Piece 20mm English Civil War Army pack

Consisting of

5 Cavalry Riders
5 Horses
2 Standards
2 Drummers
18 Pike
18 Musket

Suitable for Royalist or Parliamentarian

25MM ARMY Foot 70p each

CWF1 Pikeman, standing, Morion

CWF2 Pikeman, at push-of-pike, Morion

CWF3 Pikeman, standing with Partizan, soft hat

CWF4 Sergeant, advancing, halbard

CWF5 Musketeer, firing using fork rest

CWF6 Musketeer, standing at ready

CWF7 Scots pikeman, advancing

CWF8 Pikeman receiving, Morion, Cuirass, Tassets

CWF9 Musketeer, standing priming pan

CWF10 Drummer (assorted heads)

CWF11 Officer, soft hat, pointing pistol

CWF12 Officer, soft hat, waving flagstaff

CWF13 Pikeman, standing, coat (assorted heads)

CWF14 Pikeman, at push-of-pike, tassets (ass. heads)

CWF15 Pikeman, at push-of-pike, long coat (ass. heads)

CWF16 Musketeer firing, no rest

CWF17 Musketeer priming, no rest

CWF18 Dragoon, kneeling firing

CWF19 Pikeman cuirass, standing, soft hat

CWF20 Sergeant-at-Arms shouting

CWF21 Pikeman jacket, advancing, soft hat

Cavalry £1.40 each inc horse

CWC1 Cuirassier, firing pistol

CWC2 Trooper, three barred lobster helmet, sword and Carbine

CWC3 Dragoon

CWC4 Herald (Trumpeter)

CWC5 Cornet (Standard)

CWC6 Essex (Use as mounted officer)

CWC7 King Charles

CWC8 Cromwell

Artillery

EA1 English Civil War Culverine £2.50

EA2 English Civil War Canon Royal £3.50

EA3 Gun Crew £3.50

ALL ADS ARE 5 POUNDS WITH ARTICLE AND AD AND AS MANY PHOTOS YOU CARE TO SEND IN